2010 CATALOG Bountiful Gardens Heirloom, Untreated, Open-Pollinated Seeds for Sustainable Growing A Project of Ecology Action Table of Contents Thank you dear gardeners for continuing to support our efforts. We sincerely believe that we have the best customers in the world. We are excited about the many new seeds we are offering ABOUT OUR WORK 3-7 this year, as well as our “tried and true” varieties. High quality Tours, workshops, events 6 and high germination seed remain our focus and commitment. Membership information 7 We are one of the very few catalogs where every single variety we carry is suitable for seedsaving. For those of you with email, About GROW BIOINTENSIVE® 4-5 our periodic newsletters have been very popular – if you are not What the Seed Codes Mean 8 yet on the list, you can sign up on our website or give us a call. Apprentice information 66 Costs for everyone have skyrocketed, and last year we did not How To Reach Us 69 raise our seed prices. This year our costs have forced some New Items 70-71 increases, but we have kept them small and few as possible, and only where necessary. SEEDS 9–48 Agricultural sustainability means creating a system in which the soil will live at optimum health and will produce crops at Within each section, listings are alphabetical a rate which can be maintained indefinitely, without degrading Vegetables 9-28 the environment. The UN-FAO found that in the US we lose Mixes and Collections 29-31 6 pounds of soil for every pound of produce grown. We have Compost Crops 32–35 already lost a large portion of our soil base. Ecology Action has for nearly 40 years been developing and documenting truly Inoculants 33 sustainable growing techniques that have been proven to work Grains and Fibers 36–39 all over the world. Wild Trees and Shrubs 40 Herbs 41–45 Flowers 46–48 BOOKS AND SUPPLIES 49-61 Growing Vegetables 49 Grains, Herbs 50 Composting, Soil Fertility, Seeds, Seed Saving 51 Permaculture 52 Biodynamics, Pests 53 Survival and Self-Sufficiency 54 Food 55 DVDs and Videos 56 SUPPLIES Tools 57 Compost and Soil Fertility 58 Plant Protection Supplies 59 Seed Saving and Planting 60 Bountiful Gardens Staff: Bill Bruneau, Betsy Bruneau, Food, Personal Care 61 Carrie Perkins, Jamie Chevalier, Ian Conlan, Will Chevalier, Anne Vander Horck, Julie Castillo ECOLOGY ACTION PUBLICATIONS 56, 62-66 Our basic GROW BIOINTENSIVETM Books 62-63 The Safe Seed Pledge Ecology Action Research Booklets 64-65 Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our More Ecology Action Publications 66 lives depend. We must protect this foundation as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the DVDs and Videotapes 56 benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers who want an alternative, we pledge that we do not knowingly buy or ORDERING INFORMATION sell genetically engineered seeds or plants. The mechanical Ordering Information 69 transfer of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families, or kingdoms, poses Order Blank for Seeds, Books and Supplies 67-68 great biological risks as well as economic, political, and cultural Order Blank for Ecology Action Workshops and threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have Tours 7 been insufficiently tested prior to public release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. Further, we wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically email [email protected] diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately healthier people and communities. Phone 707-459-6410 For a current complete list of all companies who have signed FAX 707-459-1925 the above Safe Seed Pledge, contact: The Safe Seed Initiative, c/o Council for Responsible Genetics, www.bountifulgardens.org 5 Upland Road, #3, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02140 Phone: 617-868-0870 Email: [email protected] 2 Bountiful Gardens is a project of Ecology Action Ecology Action is a non-profit organization based in Willits, California, where we operate a research mini-farm and reach out through workshops and publications to gardeners in over 130 countries around the world. NGO VIOLA’s Ludmila Zhirina and Natasha Karyagina with Chernobyl radiation zone residents Biointensive compost and double-digging can reduce the radiation in the harvest by 30%! Juan Manuel Martinez Valdez Drew, Patricia, Joe, Mari, Don, & teaching in San Juan Yapacani, River: Common Ground Garden Bolivia. Supply Staff in Palo Alto, California Mark House, assistant garden manager, waters at the Research Samuel Nderitu at his Grow Mini-Farm in Willits, California. Biointensive demonstration plot, in Thika, Kenya Cesar Linneo Garcia, EA intern from Guatemala Grow Biointensive project in Las Ellen Bartholomew, Garden Naqibullah Salik in the Afghan Canadas, Mexico Manager, at Golden Rule Garden, Organic Agriculture Training Center, Willits, California Kabul, Afghanistan. 3 ® A Sustainable Solution GROW BIOINTENSIVE to Growing Food A method of raising food crops that is simple to learn and use, based on ancient principles. It was synthesized and brought to the U.S. by the English master horticulturist, Alan Chadwick, then documented and further developed by Ecology Action. IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE METHOD INCLUDE: DOUBLE-DUG, RAISED BEDS 1 In this method, crops are planted in beds that are “double-dug”. The gardener digs 12 inches down and then loosens the soil to a depth of 24 inches. This loose soil enables plant roots to penetrate easily, allows more air in the soil, retains moisture, and minimizes erosion. Learn how: • How to Grow More Vegetables - $19.95, p. 62 • The Sustainable Vegetable Garden - $12.95, p. 62 • Dig It! - Double Digging Video - $19.95, p. 56 Do It: • Digging Tools, p. 57 2 COMPOSTING The higher yields offered by intensive planting would not be sustainable without a way of maintaining the health and vigor of the soil. Kitchen waste, garden trimmings and other forms of organic matter, when properly composted, provide the elements necessary to maintain the biological cycles of life that exist in the home garden. Learn how: • Booklet 32: GROW BIOINTENSIVE Composting &Growing Compost Materials - $8.00, p. 65 • Compost & Soil Fertility Books & Supplies, p. 51 Do It: • Compost Crop Mix - $3.00, p. 32 INTENSIVE PLANTING 3 Each plant is placed the same distance from all plants around it so that when the plants mature, their leaves touch. This provides a “mini- climate” under the leaves which retains moisture, protects the valuable microbiotic life of the soil, retards weed growth, and facilitates higher yields. Do It: • Vegetable Seeds, pp. 9-30 • Tools & Supplies, p. 57 • Seed Saving & Planting Supplies, p.60 4 COMPANION PLANTING Research has shown that many plants grow better when near certain other plants. Green beans and strawberries, for instance, thrive when they are grown together. Some plants are useful in repelling pests, while others attract beneficial insect life. Learn how: • Gardener’s Reference Poster - $9.95, p. 49 Do It: • Herb and Flower Seeds, pp. 41 - 48 4 CARBON FARMING 5 Soil fertility is facilitated by planting approximately 60% of the growing area in dual-purpose seed and grain crops. These key crops produce a large amount of carbonaceous material per unit of area, which is used to build compost for improving and maintaining the soil ecosystem’s microbial life. Learn how: •Sustainable Soil Fertility Info Pack - $5.25, p. 66 Do It: • Grain Seeds, pp. 36 - 39 6 CALORIE FARMING The production of sufficient calories efficiently in a small area is facilitated by planting special root crops in 30% of the growing area. These crops include potatoes, sweet potatoes, salsify, burdock, garlic and parsnips and produce a large amount of calories per unit of area. Learn how:• One Circle - $26.95, p. 63 Do It: • Burdock Seed - $1.95, p. 11 • Parsnips - $1.95, p. 21 • Calorie Crop Collection - $4.50, p. 33 OPEN-POLLINATED SEEDS 7 With GROW BIOINTENSIVE techniques, Green Revolution-type yields can be obtained with normal open-pollinated seeds which have been selected over the decades and centuries because of their beneficial characteristics. Special hybrids are not needed for excellent results. In this way a wonderful variety can be grown while the world’s genetic diversity is preserved. Learn how: • Books on Saving Seeds, p. 51 Do It: • ALL OUR SEEDS ARE OPEN-POLLINATED & NON-GMO 8 A WHOLE GARDENING METHOD It is important to realize that the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Food-Raising Method is a whole system and that the components of this method must all be used together for the optimum effect. If you do not use all of the components together, the soil can be rapidly depleted because of the Method’s high yields. As your soil and skills begin to improve, and your double-dug beds are fertilized with compost and planted with a diversity of crops, the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Method can help you to grow a healthy garden ecosystem, an abundance of healthy produce and healthy people! ©95 Jim Bones But wait - there’s more! Ecology Action: • Conducts ongoing research at its demonstration mini-farm in Willits CA. • Offers workshops, tours, and trains interns from countries around the world who bring this valuable information back to their communities. (See pp 6) • Publishes books and research information on sustainable food production that are being used in 130 countries. (See pp 62 - 67) 5 TOURS & WORKSHOPS–2010 MORE ABOUT TOURS Willits Tour dates are in GREEN. Willits Workshop dates are Our Willits site is a working Research Mini-Farm, and our busy staff in RED. Listings in BLACK are elsewhere. is not able to accommodate drop-in visitors. The site is open to the public only on scheduled dates.